stamp



B. A. STAMP.

SHIPPING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED N0V.22, I920.

Patented Mar. 21,1 1922.

1 3 69 H 1 E Q mu 4 T 0 2 u w .0 5 n. W M? 2 Am D J m m 0D Q 2 H b 2 2, 2 W Z L 2 w 0 W2 m 4flm IINVENTOR,

6b 2 ZATTORNEY.

my copending application filed March 6,"

PATENT- oFFlcE.

BURNIE A. STAMP, OF NORTH BRADDOCK, PENNSYLVANIA.

smrrme CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pafgnted Ma 21 1922 Original application filed March 6, 1919, Serial No. 280,921. Divided and. this application filed November 22, 1920. Serial No. 425,675.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BURNIE A. STAMP, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Braddock, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping Crates, of which the following is a specification I My invention relates to knock-down shipping crates. 'Crates embodyingmy inven tion are particularly well adapted for the shipment of chickens and other birds, although they are not limited to this particular use.

'On'e object of myinvention is the provision of a knock-down crate which is rugged in :constructiom'yet which occupies the smallest possible amount of space when folded. a V

The present application is a division of 1919, SerialNo. 280921, for improvements inshipping crates. 7 g

I will'describe one form of crate embodying' my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof iii-claims.

. In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is a view showing in side elevation one form of crate embodying my invention. Fig.2 isfa view showing the crate lllustrated 1n Fig. 1 but looking at the latter from the right-hand side. Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line IIII'II of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicatedby'the arrows. -Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IVIV of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction indicated 'by the arrows. Fig. 5 is a view showing a'hasp 1d forming part of the crate shown in-Fig'l. Fig.6 is an end view of the hasp 14. Fig.7 is a sectional view taken onthe line VIl -VI-I of slats 3. The top niember'D may be of any suitable construction.

The two side members B and-B are attached byhinges H to cleats 5 and 5, re- I 13* are swung inwardly they lie flat against the bottom member A.

The two side members C and C are attached to cleats ljand 4 by hinges H which are similar to hinges H. These cleats are higher than cleats '5 and '5 however, and are of such height that when the side members B and B are folded down against the bottom member, the side members C and C may likewise be swung inwardly and will lie flat against members B and B The top member D is hingedly and slidably attached to the side member C by means which I will now explain,,refe rring particularly to Figs. 2 and 4.. The cleat 4 is provided with'two notches 10 to accommodate two straps'9, each of which is shaped as shown in Fig. 4. Thelower end of each strap passes horizontally through notch 10 and is bent upwardly at its end so that it can be attached by screws 12 to the inner side of the lower-strut of the frame of side member C. The upper end of the strap passes horizontally through a slot 11 in the frame of top member D, and is then bent downwardly andattached to the inner face of the frame of side member C by screws 12 It will be seen that by virtue of this construction the top member D can be swung upwardly so thatit is parallel to side member 0, and can then be slid downwardly or tele scopedwith respect to'member C. T The "manipulation of the crate is as follows: To fold the crate,the top member'D is first swung'upwardly and then slid straight down on the straps 9 so that it is parallel with and lies fiat against side member C. The side members B and B are then folded inwardly until they rest against the bottom member A. The next step is to fold 11mmations which will be self-evidentfrom the foregoing.

To revent the crate from collapsing accidents y while in the setr'ucondition, the

slide members are rov' with a number of cars 13. Two 0 these ears are attached to the two ends respectively of each side member C and C, as shown in Fig. 1, and

oiect into the path of members B and to prevent the latter members from being swung out-be. 0nd vertical positions with .respect to the m member A. Each side member B and B is provided with similar ears 13* which project into the path otthe top member D and so revent these side members from swinlging inward-1y from the vertical positions. t will be seen, therefore, that the ears thus far referred to serve to lock the-side members B and B in vertical with a hole 14.

positions. It remains only to prevent the side member 0' from swinging outwardly beyond the vertical position, and this'is accom lished b ears 13 attached to the inner sur cc of t frame of this member, as shown in F' 1.

'Any'suita meansma be providedfor claspmgthe top member to the side mem- 1 ber C' when the mate is set up. As here shown, this means comprises a hasp 14 and aneye1et15. The hasp 14 ishinged tothe topv member DIM is provided with a slot 14",. Onecorner of the projecti end of the beep is bent outwardly at right angles asshown at 14", and this corner is provided The eyelot'15 is formed as diown in Fig. 7,'and comprises a piece of wire passing through a hole in the frame of the side member C. The two ends of this eyelet are bent at right anglestoflie middle portion, and the end having the eye is on the outside of member C". To clasp the top member to the side member, the'eyelet. is

i turned so that the alter emd'is ina vertieal 7 corner 14".

position, the hasp 14 is than swung downwardly so that the eye rejects through slot 14; and finally the eye at is. swung'around until the eye nests against the upturned The eye than registersv with hole 14, so that ihe'crlte'. can basealedi, if desimmby passing an ordinary wire seal the oyaa'nd the-hole 14 In order to clasp the crate when in knocked-down condition, the cleat 4 is provided with a second eyelet 15 (see Fig. 1) which registers with the hasp 14 when the crate is folded, and which co-operates with the beep in the same manner as eyelet 15.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of crate embodying my invention, it is understoodthat various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from, the spirit and scope of my invention. 7

Having thus described my invention,- what Iclaimis: J a 1 1. A kmckdown-crate comprising a. bottom member, two oppositely disposed side members hingedly attached to saidwhofimn member and arranged to lie flatonfl'm-lmtter when closed, two other opposihal'ydispned side members hingedly attached to mid bottom member and arranged to lie flat 'onthe first two side members when dosad,=mtically disposed straps attached to the untside of one of said second-mentioned side members and extending over the upper edge of such member, said-straps being waned from the side and from the upper edge of the member, and a top member havi holes through which said straps pass, where y the top member is hingedly aind slidably attached to thelast mentioned side nmnber.

2. A knockdown crate comprising-a nectangular bottom member, two cleats on 0p posite edges of snid'bottom member, two

side members hingedly attached to said cleats, thelcleats being of such height. that said side members lie ht on the bottom member when closedmnd said side members being of such. height that they do. not overlap when lying flat on the bottom member, two other cleats fined to the remaining edges ofthe bottom memberand above the first cleats; two other side members hingedly attached to thesecond: clnats'so as to lie flat onfthe: first mentioned side members a. l s'riiMr. 

